Anti-jimmy lock



H. W. ALLEN EI'AL ANTI-JIMMY LOCK Filed Sept. 23, 1954 Nov. 3, 1959INVENTURS. HAPPY [4. 4115 50/1/4206 FPEJ K/ag United States PatentANTI-JIMMY LOCK Harry W. Allen and Edward C. Frey, Dayton, OhioApplication September 23, 1954, Serial No. 457,819

8 Claims. (Cl. 70-135) This invention relates to a new and improved lockwhich is simple in nature yet provides maximum protection in use. Thelock art is a highly advanced field and many methods of locking andvariations of locks have been previously devised. However, the highlysimplified apparatus of subject invention presents a lock which not onlyeliminates all complexities in function as well as structure withreference to its locking capabilities but this improved lock apparatusis believed to present the first really effective and positiveanti-jimmy lock.

The subject invention presents an improved lock of the type that may becalled a dead bolt lock which is distinguished by the fact that the boltused is fixed and rigid in contrast to the usual spring biased boltsemployed almost universally in closure locks now on the market. It iswell known that many attempts have been made previously to provide asafe, inexpensive lock that will defy efforts to force or pry it open,but none has met the requirements for such a lock and the need thereforwith such complete effectiveness and satisfactory tested results as thelock of subject invention. This novel and simple lock, moreover, isreadily adaptable for either electrical or mechanical control thereof aswill be clear from the illustrative practical embodiment of theinvention as presented herein.

The subject invention employs within a single housing unit the operablelock mechanism which, in use, is mounted on one of two elements to belocked together. The other portion of the lock which consists of a rigidfixed bar is fixed to the other of said two elements for cooperationwith said operable lock mechanism. The lock mechanism in the housingconsists of a transversely and rotatably mounted cylinder notched in oneside thereof for cooperation with the fixed rigid bar and having arecess in the opposed side thereof for engagement with an alignedplunger element in a locking position. The plunger element is actuableby the turn of a key fitting into a tumbler type lock element such as aYale tumbler unit to effect an unlocking action in an improved manner.The locking action of the mechanism is effected in automatic fashion bythe simplified apparatus arrangement.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved, highlysimplified dead bolt look.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel compactanti-jimmy lock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel lock systememploying a fixed bolt in conjunction with a notched rotatable cylinderhaving locking means enclosed and associated therewith in an improvedmanner whereby the engagement of the bolt in the notched portion of thecylinder by .arcuate movement of the bolt relative thereto to engage thenotched portion thereof will rotate the cylinder to effect an automaticlocking action which is positive in nature, resulting in a lock that isdifiicult; if at all possible, to jimmy open.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will beice come readilyapparent from the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a front view presenting an illustrative embodiment of thenovel simplified lock as applied to a door in partial section.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of the lock mechanism shown in Fig. 1 takenpartially in section on a line 2 2 thereof.

Pig. 3 shows a fragmentary detail view of the lock taken on line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a modification of the novel lock mechanism as shown in Fig.1.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing of a portion of the lock mechanism taken online 55 of Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The practical embodiment of the subject invention shown and describedherein consists of an application thereof as a door closure means. Ascan be seen with reference to the drawings a rectangular bar or boltmember 1 is provided which bar is fixed to the door D by means of screwsso as to be unyielding. The bar 1 extends beyond the door D so as tooverlap the door frame F when the door is closed. Fastened by means ofscrews to the door frame F in alignment with the bar 1 is a lock housing2, which is preferably a casting and substantially rectangular inoutline. The housing 2 has an end wall 3 and an intermediate partition 4and the end of the housing arranged adjacent the door D is open. Spacedinwardly from the open end of the housing is a transversely mountedrotatable cylinder 5 having a notch 6 longitudinally thereof which issubstantially triangular in cross section and cooperates with the bar 1.Pivot pin 7 fixed to the cylinder 5 extends from the ends thereof tobear in apertures in the housing 2 for rotation relative thereto. Aspacer 8 is mounted on pin 7 at one end of the cylinder to space thecylinder from the housing wall thereby while to the other end of pin 7is fixed a cam element 9 for rotation therewith and for purposes to bedescribed.

Mounted on the end wall 3 of the housing 2 and secured thereto as bybolt members is a modified solenoid 10 having a central passage arrangedlongitudinally thereof. Slidably mounted in the inner end of thesolenoid passage is a plunger element 10' having an extremity of reduceddiameter for cooperation with the cylinder 5 as will be described.Threadedly engaged in the inward end of plunger element 10 is a coaxialpin 11 of lesser diameter which pin extends outwardly of housing 2 andhas spaced notches 12 and 12 respectively arranged therein. The outerend of the pin 11 has a head 13 secured thereto. A coil spring 30encircles the pin 11 and bears at its respective ends on the inward endof the plunger 10 and on the solenoid housing to continuously bias theplunger element 10 in the direction of the cylinder 5. A slide latchmember 14 is mounted on the outer side of the end wall 3 of the housing2 and has spaced slots 19 therein for engagement by pins 19 secured tothe wall 3 for slidable adjustment of the latch member in a manner whichis believed to be obvious with reference to Figure 3 of the drawings.The latch member is bifurcated at its upper end 15 to provide a recesstherein whereby the latch member may be adjusted to selectively engagein notches 12 and 12' in the pin 11 to selectively retain the plungeragainst rear movement to effect a night latch means for the lock as willbe obvious or to effect a continuous unlocked condition for the lockwhen desired.

The spring 30 affords a continuous bias of the plunger against thecylinder 5 efiecting a locking thereof by engagement in a recess 17therein on the side thereof opposite to the notch 6 therein. Also alimit pin 18 fixed in the housing wall cooperates with a groove 21 inthe cylinder 5 to limit the rotation thereof in use.

Mounted on a wall of the housing 2 is a microswitch 16 forcooperationwith the cam element 9, which microswitch is normally closed andoperative on rotation of the camming element as the door is opened toeffect a deenergization' of the solenoid whereby automatic locking maybe effected by the novel lock on merely closing the door as will bedescribed. The operating means for opening the novel improved lockconsists of a Yale type tumbler unit 31 as seen in Figure 1 of thedrawings which has a shaft 32 operated by the turning of a special keyin the tumbler unit, which shaft 32 has a cam element 33 connectedthereto for engaging a' microswitch 34 onturning of the key to energizethe solenoid to retract the plunger 10' from the recess 17 in thecylinder 5 to permit rotation of the cylinder by pressure against thedoor transmitted through the bar 1.

In use of the lock, in a locked condition thereof as seen in Figures 1and 2 of the drawings, the bar 1 is engaged in the notch 6 in thecylinder- 5 with one surface thereof in engagement with one wall of thenotch. Also at this point, the plunger 10' is in the recess 17 in thecylinder 5 under bias by the spring 30, preventing rotation of thecylinder by any application of pressure through the bar 1. By thisparticular structural association of the locking elements presented, therigid bar 1 cannot readily be jimmied, if at all,to open the door. Toopen the door, the special key whichcorresponds to the particulartumbler unit 31 must be inserted and turned. As the key is turned, thecamming element 33 engages the microswitch 34 to complete the circuit tosupply power from a suitable source to energize the solenoid and retractthe plunger 10' against the bias of spring 30 As the solenoid isenergized, pressure must be applied to the door to press the bar 1against the cylinder 5 to rotate the cylinder as to permit the bar toclear so that the door may open. Because of the groove 22 being alignedwith the recess 17 in the cylinder, the plunger need only be retracted asufficient distance to enable the same to clear the recess. At the pointwhere bar 1 clears the cylinder, the camming element 9 has rotated toengage the microswitch 16 to open the power circuit to de-energize thesolenoid releasing the plunger to bias against the cylinder once more inthe groove 22 therein. Accordingly, as the door is shut, the bar 1engages in the notch 6 of the cylinder 5, this being assured by thelimited rotation of the cylinder provided by the pin 18 engaging in thegroove 21 thereof. As the door rotates, the bar rotates the cylinder andupon complete closing of the door, the plunger being biased against thecylinder effectively is aligned with and enters the recess 17 once moreto effect an automatic locking of the door by the mere closing thereof.

If for any reason it is desired that the door not be automaticallylocked upon closing thereof, the head 13 of the pin 11 merely need beretracted against the bias of spring 30 and the latch member 14 adjustedto engage notch 12' in the pin 11 to retain the plunger in retrac'tedposition till thelatch member is released. In this way, the door may befreely opened and shut when desired. Also, if for any reason a nighttype latch be desired so that the door may not be opened from theoutside, even by a key, then the latch member need merely be engaged inthe notch 12 in the pin 11 and the plunger 10' then may not be retractedby any means so as to provide a positive anti-jimmy lock means thereby.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, a mechanical modificationof the improved novel lock is shown therein. In this instance the onlychanges are that the solenoid is replaced by a guide housing having asimilar central passage therein to receive a similar plunger assembly asin the embodiment shown on Figure 1 of the drawings which is also springbiased as in the first embodiment by a spring member Here the CPIcamming element 9 is replaced by a spacer element 8 on the pin 7 in amanner which is believed to be so obvious as not to require detaileddescription thereof. Further while a similar tumbler unit 31 isprovided, the cam 33 of the first embodiment is replaced by a bifurcatedelement 27 connected to the operating shaft 32 to receive the forwardreduced portion of the plunger element 10' therebetween so that oninsertion of a special key in unit 31 and turning thereof to rotateshaft 32, the bifurcated element 27 engages the enlarged portion of theplunger 10" as seen in Figures 4 and 5- to thrust the" plunger 10readily in a rearward direction to disengage the plunger from the recess17 in the cylinder to permit the door to be pushed open by pressure ofthe bar 1 against the cylinder to rotate it as the key is turnedsuihciently to cause the element 27 to effect a clearance of the plungerof the recess 17 in the cylinder 5. Here again as the door is closed,the spring 30 affording a continuous bias of the plunger to engage thecylinder causes the plunger 19' to re-enter the recess 17 as" it becomesali ned therewith as" the door" is completely closed to provide anautomatic lock of the door thereby. In this instance a safety feature isprovided by the novel modification of the invention presented in Figures4 and 5 of the drawings in that the key may not be taken out of thetumbler unit until the door is completely locked again. In thisembodiment of the invention as in the first described the night latchand continuously open latch means 14 may be used in an identical mannerand for identical purposes.

While a key operated mechanism has been disclosed as means forinitiating the unlocking of a lock in accordance with the inventionobviously, various other types of control elements may be employedwithout departing from novelty in the invention.

Due to the obvious simplicity and positive nature of the novel lockmeans enabled by the employment of the subject invention, a distinctadvance in the art obtains therefrom. The invention presents a highlysimplified lock mechanism which cannot readily be jimmied open if at alland cannot be unlocked even with a key let alone by prying when thenight latch mechanism is set. Also the locking action is positive andautomatic in nature as effected by subject invention to present anideally simple effective lock means having wide applicability.

While a single embodiment and modification thereof of the subjectinvention hasbeen presented herein, many other modifications andapplications thereof will be readily apparent therefrom to those versedin the art and such is considered to lie within the scope of theinvention.

We claim:

1. A jimmy-proof lock comprising, a first housing, a notched cylinderrotatably mounted transversely of said housing adjacent one end thereof,a rigid bolt engaging in the notched portion thereof to effect a closurethereby, a solenoid including a housing therefor mounted in said firsthousing adjacent the other end thereof, a lock recess in said cylinderin the side thereof opposed to its notched portion, a spring biasedplunger normally biased outwardl'y' of said solenoid housing intoengagement with said cylinder, said plunger and lock recess being inaxial alignment when a locked condition obtains whereupon the plungerengages in the lock recess to prevent rotation of said cylinder andrelease of the rigid bolt, circuit means connected to said solenoidthereby affording a source of power thereto, a normally open switchmounted in said first housing and connected in the circuit means to thesolenoid, key actuated control means mounted adjacent said normally openswitch and operable to close the switch to energize said solenoid, saidplunger being retracted thereby from engagement in said cylinderwhereupon said cylinder is rotatable on application of pressure throughsaid rigid bolt to effect an unlocking action, a normally closed switchmeans in said first housing in said circuit means and cam meansconnected for rotation with said cylinder and operable to engage andopen said normally closed switch means at a predetermined point tode-energize said solenoid so that said plunger is again biased againstsaid cylinder so a locking action will automatically occur upon aclosure being effected through rotation of said cylinder by said bolt torealign said lock recess with said plunger.

2. A look comprising an outer housing, a notched cylinder rotatablymounted in said housing adjacent one end thereof for engagement with arigid bolt in the notched portion thereof to effect a closure, a lockrecess in said cylinder, an inner housing, a plunger mounted in saidinner housing normally biased to engage said cylinder, said plunger andlock recess being in axial alignment when a closure is effected, theplunger being biased into said lock recess to prevent rotation of saidcylinder and release of the rigid bolt, control means for retractingsaid plunger against the bias thereon to free said cylinder for rotationon application of pressure thereto through the rigid bolt to open saidclosure and an interrupter device provided in said control means forreleasing the plunger to engage said cylinder as it is relativelydisplaced from axial alignment with said lock recess as the cylinder isrotated by the bolt whereby on a closure being effected by engagement ofthe rigid bolt in the cylinder notch an automatic locking action occurs.

3'. The structure as set forth in claim 2 and a first latching elementconnected to said plunger and having spaced notches therein, a secondlatching element connected to said housing, said first latching elementbeing selectively engageable by said second latching element in thespaced notches thereof to selectively prevent the automatic lockingaction or retraction of said plunger.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 2 and a pin connected to theplunger, spaced notches in said pin, and a bifurcated latch memberconnected to said housing and adjustable to selectively engage saidnotches whereby respectively to prevent the automatic locking action orto prevent any operation of the lock whatsoever.

5. A jimmy-proof lock comprising, in combination, a rigid bolt memberadapted for connection to one of two elements to be interlocked, a lockhousing adapted for connection to the other of said two elements inalignment with said bolt member, a notched rotatable cylinder mountedtransversely of said housing and receiving the rigid bolt in the notchthereof when a locked relation of said two elements obtains, saidcylinder having a stepped groove therein affording a central recessproviding a first latch means, a second cooperating latch means in saidhousing engaging in the recess provided by the stepped groove in thecylinder when said two elements are interlocked, key operated controlmeans operatively connected with said second latch means for retractionthereof in said stepped groove clearof the recess therein for unlocking,said second latch means havingv an extension from said housing withspaced notches therein, and means slidably mounted on one wall of saidhousing and selectively engageable with said notches in saidextension toselectively prevent unlocking or locking of said latch means. a t

6. A jimmy proof lock comprising, a first housing, a notched cylinderrotatably mounted adjacent one end thereof for engagement with a rigidbolt in the notched portion thereof to effect a closure, a solenoidincluding a housing therefor mounted in said first housing at the otherend thereof, a lock recess in said cylinder, a spring biased plungernormally biased outwardly of said solenoid housing into engagement withsaid cylinder, said solenoid housing, said plunger and lock recess beingin axial alignment when a closure is effected, the plunger being biasedinto said lock recess to prevent rotation of said cylinder and releaseof said rigid bolt, a power circuit connected to said solenoid toafllord a power supply thereto, control means mounted in said firsthousing for closing said power circuit to energize said solenoid,thereby retracting said plunger to free said cylinder for rotation onapplication of pressure thereto through said rigid bolt to open saidclosure, a normally closed switch in said power circuit and meansconnected for rotation with said cylinder operable on a predeterminedrotation of said cylinder to open said switch and said power circuitwhereby said plunger is again biased into engagement with said cylinderso that an automatic locking action occurs on a closure being effectedby an engagement of the rigid bolt in the notched cylinder to rotatesaid cylinder to obtain an axial alignment of said recess and saidplunger.

7. The structure as set forth in claim 6 and means mounted to one ofsaid housings engageable with selective portions of said plunger to holdsaid plunger in selectively fixed positions relative said cylinder toselectively prevent automatic locking action on a closure being effectedor prevent an opening of said closure after a locking action has beeneffected.

8. A jimmy proof lock comprising, a first housing, a notched cylinderrotatably mounted transversely of said housing adjacent one end thereof,a rigid bolt engaging in the notch portion thereof to efi'ect a closurethereby, a solenoid including a housing therefor mounted in said firsthousing adjacent the other end thereof, a lock recess in said cylinderin the side thereof opposed to its notched portion, a spring biasedplunger normally biased outwardly of said solenoid housing intoengagement with said cylinder, said plunger and lock recess being inaxial alignmerit when a locked condition obtains whereupon the plungerengages in the lock recess to prevent rotation of said cylinder andrelease of the rigid bolt, circuit means connected to said solenoidaffording a source of power thereby, a normally open switch mounted insaid first housing and connected in the circuit means to the solenoid,key actuated control means mounted adjacent said normally open switchand operable to close the switch to energize said solenoid, said plungerbeing retracted thereby from engagement in said cylinder whereupon saidcylinder is rotatable on application of pressure through the rigid boltto eifect an unlocking action, a normally closed switch means in saidfirst housing in said circuit means, cam means connected for rotationwith said cylinder and operable to engage and open said normally closedswitch means at a predetermined point to deenergize said solenoid sothat said plunger is again biased against said cylinder so a lockingaction will automatically occur upon a closure being efiected throughrotation of said cylinder by said bolt to realign said lock recess withsaid plunger and a pin threadedly connected in the inner end of theplunger and extending outwardly of said first housing, said pin beingoperable to axially adjust said plunger, spaced notches in said pinadjacent the outer end thereof, and a latch member on said housing andoperable to selectively engage in one of said notches on axialadjustmentof said plunger to selectively prevent either the projection orretraction of said plunger from its adjusted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

